Alola's First Champion
by TheRepeat
Summary: The Champion of Alola's first Pokémon League title is fabled to be undefeatable. This is her story, as told by the ones that knew her.
1. Chapter 1

**Alola's First Champion**

* * *

 **-1-**

Atop the bitterly-cold Mount Lanakila at Ula'ula Island's center, what had been a pipe dream and a wishful construction project less than a year ago was now the most bustling area of the Alola region. The second-ever Alolan League Championship was set to start in a day's time, and the scene was ready.

The remote islands of Alola had recently found itself abruptly thrust into the spotlight. Since the Silver League was established in the Johto region many years ago, the world hadn't seen a brand-new Pokémon League in some time. It was thanks to the efforts of Alola's own Professor Kukui that that dream could finally come true once again.

More than that, the performance of one Pokémon Trainer in particular stole the hearts and minds of the world, as a fledgling Alolan swept the region's Trainers, Trial Captains, kahunas, and even the newly-minted Alolan Elite Four without losing so much as a single match. Other clues abounded of that young girl's other impossible feats, some of them of world-saving caliber, but many scoffed at the claims and deemed them apocryphal.

Still, tales of an 'undefeatable' Trainer drew attention, admiration, and enthusiasm, and now Trainers the world over had collected here, in a no-name region with a no-name League, braving the stabbing cold of Mount Lanakila, just to see what truth those rumors held. The Alolan League had been smart to prepare accordingly, constructing a massive hotel atop the mountain to accommodate the extreme influx of Trainers, where all of the challengers—local and foreign alike, hundreds strong—could stay and eagerly await the beginning of Alola's second-ever Championship.

The question on everyone's mind: would this Alolan child be able to defend her title in the face of the world?

Because, indeed, many veritable legends had traveled this far to get a taste of the 'undefeatable' Trainer's true ability…

* * *

"Ahaha. Oh, I recognize _those_ faces." Olivia smiled knowingly as she slid into the booth opposite the foreigners. "I heard you wanted to talk, hmm?"

Red's expression was solid as he continued eating his malasada, but Blue leaned forward, dubiously watching Olivia. "You're Olivia, one of this region's Gym Leaders, right?"

Olivia chuckled lightly. "Dear, we don't have _gyms_ here in Alola, we have _trials._ I am a kahuna, however, which is roughly equivalent."

"Sure, whatever." Blue dismissed the semantics with a wave of his hand. "I'm Blue. Kanto Gym Leader and one-time Champion." He nudged the Trainer seated next to him. "And this is my pal Red, several-time Champion."

"I see!" Olivia's eyebrow quirked. "Yes, I judged you correctly! Blue and Red, among the best Pokémon Trainers in the world. I believe I watched the two of you battle during the Pokémon World Tournament a few years ago."

"Yeah."

"So that must mean that the two of you are here for the second Alolan League Championship, hmm? Planning to test the new talent?"

"Exactly." Blue's eyes narrowed. "All this talk about an 'undefeatable' Trainer, the 'new number-one,' has my interest, at least. Alola's first Champion seems to have a target on her head if she plans on defending her Pokémon League title."

Olivia leaned back in the booth, rubbing her chin thoughtfully. "Oh, yes. Moon is quite the specimen of Trainer."

"Not gonna lie," said Blue, "I don't buy it. All this 'undefeatable' stuff has been said before, and not just about _this_ guy, either." He nudged Red again. "Way I see it, Red's the best Trainer there's ever been, and even he isn't _undefeatable_ anymore. I've doubted every 'new number one' we've seen since then, and I've always been right; they always fall off the map after their day in the sun."

Red nodded. Clearly, he shared Blue's doubt, but his eyes carried more curiosity compared to Blue's skepticism.

Olivia crossed her arms. "I suppose that's fair. If I'd never battled Moon myself, I would be thinking the same things, I'm sure!"

"Yeah, I bet." Blue rolled his eyes.

A smirk touched Olivia's lips. "The tournament is tomorrow, so maybe you could test her mettle then?"

"That's the plan."

"Ooh, how exciting!" Olivia clasped her hands together. "In that case, I've figured out why you wanted to talk to me, hmm?"

Blue frowned. "Probably. This 'Moon' girl doesn't seem to be staying here, and I wanted to learn more about her before I face her in tournament."

"Mm…" Olivia glanced around the crowded lobby. Most of the booths were packed with Trainers, foreign and domestic, all enjoying their 'exotic' Alolan meals as they chattered enthusiastically about tomorrow's tournament. _This place will be a tourist trap before we know it._ She chuckled lightly.

The energy of the room was contagious, and Olivia could feel it getting to her. "…So, you want me to tell you more about Moon, then? If you want me to dissect her battling style, I'm afraid I couldn't give you many pointers. You two are far too experienced to need _my_ advice."

Blue and Red exchanged a glance. Blue then turned back to Olivia, taking a breath and leaning back. "No, not that. Red figured we should get a sense of what the girl's like. Y'know, all the stories about her are real vague. They go, 'Moon's unbeatable,' 'Moon's the next Red,' but they never say anything about what she's like, what's so _special_ about her."

Olivia laughed. "It isn't like Moon was born to special circumstances or anything. She's a normal girl. But…" She tapped her chin. "I suppose the circumstances thrust on her _were_ extraordinary, weren't they? And she took to them like a natural."

"Well, spill it," said Blue, but Red elbowed him scoldingly. "Er—if you don't mind."

"Hmm…" A smirk traced across Olivia's lips as she pondered the matter. "…No, I don't think I'm equipped to tell the story you want."

"Wha—" Blue shook his head, irritated. "What do you mean 'not equipped,' huh?!"

"I mean," Olivia began, trailing her finger in circles over the tabletop, "that I wasn't there all along. I don't have a complete story to give." She then raised that one finger, signaling 'hold on.' "I'll be right back."

Blue glared at the kahuna as she slid out of the booth and disappeared to a different corner of the lobby. A bit bemused, but shrugging it off, Red continued patiently nibbling at his malasada.

* * *

 _Author's note:_

 _In light of Ultra Sun/Ultra Moon, there might be small discrepancies with canon, though I'm not sure; I've been avoiding spoilers. This story was conceived before Ultra Sun and Ultra Moon were revealed._

 _Updates every other day._


	2. Chapter 2

**-2-**

This kid had sat down next to Olivia in the booth opposite Red and Blue almost a minute ago, and he still hadn't spoken; he was just staring, eyes flitting between the two Kantonian Trainers. In the boy's defense, Blue hadn't exactly prompted him, instead settling for crossed arms and an annoyed expression, waiting for the new guy to say something.

The boy raised his pointer finger, leveled at Blue. "…You're Blue!"

"Yeah."

The Alolan kid's finger drifted to Blue's friend next. "…And you're Red!"

Red's mouth was full, but it wasn't like he would answer anyway.

A huge smile spread from ear to ear, and the kid seemed to be bouncing in his seat excitedly. "Tha—That's so cool! The stars from Kanto!" He looked at Red. "And the living legend himself! Is it true that you never talk?"

"Don't be rude, now," Olivia said, amused.

"R-Right!" The kid placed his hands in his lap, meeting Blue's eye seriously. "My name's Hau! It's an honor, Mr. Blue, sir!"

"Ehhh…" Blue waved him off. "Don't act like I'm so important."

"R-Right!" Hau nodded dutifully, then sighed, smoothing back his ponytail. "…Sheesh, if I'd known I was gonna meet _the_ Red and Blue today, I would've done something rad with my hair!"

"Don't worry about that," said Olivia. "I actually brought you over here so we could talk about Moon for a bit."

"Oh, right!" Hau rubbed the back of his head, grinning sheepishly. "Yeah, sorry you guys had to travel all this way to a tournament you're not gonna win, but the experience is the whole fun of it, right?" He pumped his fists, not noticing the way Red and Blue both narrowed their eyes. "I mean, imagine how many regions are being represented here! What a cool opportunity to meet new people!"

"As a matter of fact, I _do_ plan on winning," Blue said coldly. "You buy into that whole 'undefeatable' business too, huh? I imagine living in a talentless echo chamber of a region would reinforce the idea that—" Red nudged him again, harder this time, and Blue winced, not just from pain. "…S-Sorry. I didn't mean that."

"Oh, it's fine!" said Hau. "I guess it was pretty rude of me too, counting you guys out already! I mean, Blue, you were a Champion too at one point, right? And Red used to be number one in the _world!"_ He almost giggled with glee. "Hhhoo boy, tomorrow's gonna _rock!_ Man, I hope you guys are able to battle Moon at some point. What a matchup that would be!"

Blue cleared his throat. "Y-Yeah, actually. That'd be great." He squirmed in his seat. "I—Again, sorry about that. I didn't mean that about Alola. I just got—defensive. I'm working on it." He took a calming breath. "Anyway… since Kahuna Olivia brought you here, I guess you're friends with Moon?"

"The _best!"_ Hau answered brightly. "We both became Pokémon Trainers at the same time! We didn't adventure together the _whole_ time, but I was with her most of the way up until she became Champion. She's pretty amazing!" He gestured between Blue and Red. "You guys are besties, right? Was it the same for you guys too?"

Red and Blue both coughed awkwardly.

"N-Not exactly," Blue said. "We were more like… rivals."

Hau blinked, not understanding. "…Moon and I were rivals, too, so…?"

"We didn't get along so well." Blue coughed again. "I uh, hated his guts, actually."

Red nodded.

"Shoot! Never would've guessed!" Hau laughed. "I mean, you guys grew up together and all, I would've thought you'd be friends forever!"

"Things don't always work out that way, unfortunately," said Olivia. "Not everyone is like you, Hau. Children tend to find the silliest reasons to dislike one another."

"Silly in _hindsight,"_ Blue muttered. "You know, Red was always the best at everything. _Everything!_ Any game we ever played as kids, he would win! It was so annoying!" He leaned against the table, growing irritated. "With my gramps being the Pokémon Professor and all, I figured I'd at least have the upper hand in the League challenge, but all I had over Red was being faster. He ended up on top anyway…"

Frowning, Red looked down, hiding his eyes under the brim of his cap. Likewise, Olivia and Hau didn't quite know how to respond to that.

Blue shook his head. "…But we've talked about that, and there're no hard feelings anymore. No reason for me to still be upset about that."

"Wow, that's crazy," said Hau. "Now that I think about it, I was usually faster than Moon, too. She was new to Alola, so she really took her time exploring during her island challenge, while I was kinda just blazing through it. We battled a bunch, and I could never beat her—really only came close _once,_ since she'd never seen an Alolan Raichu before, but she figured me out and beat me that time anyway. But I didn't really mind, y'know? She beat me fair and square, and I felt like I learned from it every time." He beamed. "Isn't that funny? Red and Moon are a lot alike, I bet! She _also_ isn't very talkative."

Blue and Red shared an amused look. "That's the most convincing comparison to Red I've heard yet," Blue chuckled.

"I wonder what else all of you have in common," said Olivia. "It was a long time ago, I know, but what was the League challenge like for the two of you back in the day?"

"We were both eleven," Blue said. "Youngest age you can get your own starter Pokémon. I was able to beat the League before Red, making me the Champion, but Red beat me pretty handily after that. People went _nuts._ Two new Champions in the span of a week? Unheard of! But people mostly fixated on Red. Rightly so, really. He _dominated_ the Indigo League. Didn't drop a match: not to any Gym Leaders, not to Team Rocket, not to the Elite Four, and not to me. This was the first time a Trainer had made a name for him- or herself so quickly, and it drew a lot of attention to the Kanto region."

"Just like Alola," Olivia commented, smirking.

"Sure, but bigger," Blue countered. "Kanto was out in the boonies, but Johto just to the west was even _more_ out-there. Kanto striking 'media gold' put both regions on the map, and made Kanto's Indigo League dissolve into a joint Kanto-Johto Silver League instead. Bigger budget, bigger talent pool, bigger names. But for us, it wasn't the same. For the inaugural Silver League championship, Red swept through again with even less challenge, securing an easy win and making everyone else look like beginners. So, instead of staying to reign as Champion…" Blue shrugged. "He just vanished."

"Really?" Hau asked. "Why?"

"It was too easy for him." Blue glanced aside at Red. "He was at the top, and he found out there was no reason to stay there. Nobody offered him a challenge anymore. So, he left." He faced Hau again. "Imagine if Red stayed, yeah? Imagine what kind of deterrent that would be. So many dreamers would climb the Indigo Plateau, burn through the Elite Four, and then meet the living legend himself as a stone wall. There would never be another Champion again. Red would be the best, forever, and it would be boring for everyone. 'Oh boy, Red wins the Championship for the eight hundredth time, how exciting.' He knew that, so he dipped. Meanwhile, I became a Gym Leader to try to keep improving. And, well, Red _did_ return eventually, and became number-one in the world again for a while… but that's a story for later."

Olivia's eyes were fixated on Red. "How intriguing."

Blue frowned deeply, crossing his arms and resting his elbows on the table. "Anyway… I said Red was the _first_ Trainer to make a name for himself so quickly. He wasn't the last, and I'm not just talking about Moon." He counted off on his fingers: "Johto. Hoenn. Sinnoh. Unova. Kalos. All of them had incredibly talented up-and-comers with results comparable to Red's: obliterating their region's respective Leagues like it was easy for them. Just like Red, just like Moon. But unlike Red, they couldn't stay on the map. After their League victories, they kept to their home regions. Some of them stopped battling altogether after a while; some just couldn't replicate those kinds of results. Some of them even proved they could go toe-to-toe with Red in his prime, and _still_ they fell off eventually. Something that's never happened to this guy right here." He poked Red with his thumb; Red brushed his hand away. "So, when I say I'm skeptical about Moon, now you know where I'm coming from."

"It sounds to me like it would be hard to convince you otherwise, hm," Olivia mused. "Even if Moon took this tournament as well, you still would expect her to fade into obscurity after a few months."

Blue scratched his cheek thoughtfully. "…Yeah, now that you mention it, that sounds about right. It _would_ be impressive, don't get me wrong, but I doubt I'd be convinced."

"Well then." Stone-faced, Olivia stood from her spot in the opposite booth. "I doubt we could convince you either, so there's no need for me to try." She gestured for Hau to move so she could leave the booth. "Let's go, Hau."

Blue's eyes widened. "What? No, that's not what I—"

Though Olivia was waiting on him to get out of the way, Hau remained steadfast. "Hold on, Kahuna Olivia," the Trainer said, grinning widely. "You're not giving up that easily, are you? I bet we could convince 'em!"

Olivia folded her arms. "Oh?"

"Because I know why Moon is going to be a legend forever," Hau asserted. He placed his fists on the table decisively, looking between Blue, Olivia, and Red. "And I know for _sure_ that she's the number-one Pokémon Trainer in the world! You just need the explanation _why!"_

Suddenly, Hau pushed off of the table, rising with clarity and confidence. "I'll be right back. I can't tell this story alone, nuh-uh!"

The other three could only watch, bemused, as the young boy dashed away, vigor in his movement.

Olivia slowly reclaimed her seat; a small, assured smirk grew across her face.


	3. Chapter 3

**-3-**

The woman had a mean look to her. Or, at least a serious look that jarringly contrasted with the other cheerful trainers at the table. Of the now four Alolan trainers here, she was the only one not smiling.

Unlike the woman, the lab coat-wearing man Hau had also brought over was grinning from ear to ear. Blue frowned, wondering why the man didn't bother to button up his lab coat; he wasn't even wearing a shirt under it. Must be freezing his tan off on a mountain like this.

"Oho boy, I know you!" the man said, crossing his arms as he, the woman, and Hau stood next to the table. "You guys are Red and Blue, former Kanto Champions! Welcome to Alola!" He waggled his finger, winking at Blue. "I'll have you know, I'm a better battler than I was when we last met! Maybe we'll meet in the League Championship tomorrow, hahaha."

Blue squinted, sizing the man up and down in a vain attempt to attach a name to him. "…We've met?"

"Ahaha." The man briefly removed his cap to smooth back his short hair, then placed the hat back on his head. "Yup, I should've figured you wouldn't remember me. My performance wasn't exactly memorable when I tried my hand at the Kanto League Championship a ways back! Well, might as well introduce myself now." He offered his hand to Blue. "My name is Kukui, Alola's Pokémon Professor! It's a pleasure to meet you outside of a Gym." Kukui shook Blue's hand, then Red's. "Can't say I've ever met you, Red, but I'm very familiar with you, cuz. Honestly, studying your League Challenge from all those years ago was part of what inspired me to create this region's Pokémon League!"

"You _made_ the League?" Blue asked.

"Well… not _alone,_ of course," Kukui clarified. "It _was_ my idea! But without a go-getter like Moon to attract so much interregional attention, it DEFINITELY wouldn't have been this successful." The Professor glanced at the unsmiling Trainer standing next to him; "Aren't you going to say anything, Kahili?"

The stone-faced Kahili frowned, but like Kukui, she also offered her hand for Blue, and then Red, to shake. "Nice to meet you. I'm Kahili of the Alolan Elite Four."

"The Elite Four," Blue echoed. "Impressive. Guess I'll probably be facing you tomorrow, too."

"If you make it that far."

Blue's eyes narrowed. "You can count on that."

Kukui rolled his eyes, placing a hand on Kahili's shoulder. "Simmer down," he chuckled. "These booths won't fit all of us, so I'll go grab us some chairs. I'll be back before you can say 'Extreme Speed'!"

"Extreme—" Hau began, but Kukui just lifted two chairs from an adjacent empty table and placed them at the end of the booth, indeed returning as quickly as promised. "Whoa, sure enough!"

Kukui and Kahili both seated themselves in the chairs, while Hau returned to his spot in the booth. Kukui rubbed his hands together eagerly. "So! Hau says you wanted to know more about Moon, yeah?"

Blue nodded. "Yeah. Hau and Kahuna Olivia have gushed about her skill plenty. They're not the first ones to tell me she's 'the greatest of all time,' but I wanted to hear more about it."

Kahili was frowning. The frown didn't seem judgmental or frustrated, but it carried a thoughtful weight to it. Her expression told the story that she was reluctant to admit her next words: "It's all true."

"Tell me, then. What makes you that convinced?"

"I'll tell you what. I thought she was cheating. And I wasn't the only one, either."

Blue blinked. Looking around the table, he saw Hau, Kukui, and Olivia all nodding along with Kahili.

 _"Cheating?"_ Blue asked incredulously. "Wha, well, why?" _I was hopelessly outclassed by Red when we were kids, but I never thought he was CHEATING…_

"Moon was, and is, a natural," Kukui explained with a smile. "From the start, she was always a crazy good battler! I don't know if I immediately knew she was gonna be a legend, but I definitely had my eye on her pretty soon after she started her island challenge."

"She doesn't battle normally," Olivia said. "There are all kinds of battling styles, sure, and at the top level of competition like where you two are, you have probably seen it all, but Moon's battling isn't normal. It almost seems amateurish at first glance, and that's the genius of it."

"She didn't like battling, you know," said Hau. "Wait—that's not what I mean, haha! She didn't _think_ she would like battling. Moon hadn't really ever watched actual Pokémon battles before she started, so when she got her starter Pokémon, she was just winging it every time. And wouldn't you know it, it worked! And that became her style."

Blue shrugged, a little miffed at their vagueness. "That sounds great and all, but I don't know what that means."

"Just be patient," said Olivia. "There is a point here."

Red nodded in agreement, and Blue sat back, ready to listen.

"Moon's style was endlessly creative," Kukui said. "This girl seemed to have an answer for every challenge thrown at her, even from the beginning, even when I was _sure_ she didn't have the tools to handle the situation. She and Lillie always found a way."

"But it's not just talent!" Hau eagerly added. "She was also _super_ driven. Like, sure, she was pretty good from the second she picked up a Poké Ball, but she MORE than matched that talent with—with a hunger, I guess, to get better at battling."

"A desire to improve," Olivia noted, and Hau and Kukui both voiced their agreement.

Hau sighed, resting his hand on his cheek. His eyes drifted off into the distance. "That must be great," he said wistfully, smiling. "To be _that_ naturally talented, AND to have that drive to succeed, in something you love to do. That's what battling is like for Moon."

When Blue glanced at Red, he found his friend was wearing a wistful smile of his own, identical to Hau's. He could understand.

Shrugging, Blue conceded the comparison, and he returned his attention to the Alolans.

"Well, there's also Lillie," Hau mused. "But, eh, we can talk about that later."

"We're skimming over a big point right now," Kahili said. "Moon's crowning achievement when it comes to battling. The reason she was accused of cheating during her island challenge, even if she _was_ cleared of it."

"Accused…" _The plot thickens,_ Blue thought. Sure, plenty of kids upset at a loss would baselessly cry foul and say that their opponent was cheating, but a formal accusation was much more serious. He'd never heard of a formal accusation being lifted before; all claims of cheating, to his memory, were legitimate. "You all have my undivided attention."

Hau nudged Olivia, smirking. "I told you."


	4. Chapter 4

**-4-**

"Ooh, lookie here!"

Blue felt a stab of annoyance as _yet another_ voice intruded on the conversation, this time uninvited. It was just a little girl this time. "Yeah?"

The girl put her hands on her hips, smirking. At least, it looked like a smirk. It could've just been that her smiles were generally catlike, but it struck a nerve in Blue regardless. "Whoa, this is quite a crowd, huh? Professor Kukui, Kahuna Olivia. And heya, Kahili! Excited about tomorrow?"

Blue's annoyance at the new girl's interruption was assuaged a bit as he watched her not only draw a smile from stoic Kahili, but also convinced the Elite Four member to give her a high-five without even prompting. _So she isn't a random._

"Hiya, Acerola!" Hau greeted. "Pull up a chair!"

"Ah." And with Hau's confirmation, Blue softened into a smile, negative feelings dissipating. "So, you're one of Moon's friends?"

"Sure am!" Acerola dragged a chair over from an adjacent table as she spoke. Kahili and Kukui scooted over to give Acerola room at the end of the booth. "And, you're—don't tell me, don't tell me—" Placing her chair next to Kahili's, Acerola plopped down, a determined pout on her expression. "Are you Brock?"

Blue sighed, but still, her genuine attempt was endearing. "No, but you're close. I'm Blue, and this is Red." _Getting a little tired of introducing the both of us, to be honest._

"Oh, cool!" Acerola said. "I got the right region! Eheheh. Really, the only regions I know anything about are Kanto and Alola."

"Guess we should be flattered," Blue chuckled. "Anyway, we were just talking about Moon."

"Oh cool, Moon!" Acerola drummed her fingers on the table excitedly. "You know, she said she was going to use Nebby this tournament! How exciting is that?"

The Alolans all gave "whoas" of varying enthusiasm to express their surprise and approval.

"'Nebby?'" Blue asked. "Is that some Alolan Pokémon?"

Acerola giggled. "No, no, silly! 'Nebby' is the nickname for Moon's Lunala."

Red's eyebrows rose.

Blue looked between Red and Acerola, confused. "Lunala?" He voiced the question toward Acerola, but Red was nudging him for attention. Blue found that the Trainer was offering him his Pokédex, opened to the entry of an unfamiliar Pokémon.

Blue squinted at the screen. "Lunala… Psychic/Ghost… Legen—" He raised his eyebrows as well. "Oh, a _Legendary._ Wow, that explains a lot." He glanced up at Acerola. "With a Legendary Pokémon, she must have—"

"Now don't get the wrong idea," Kukui interrupted. "She never once used Nebby until after she had already become Champion. She explained to me that she didn't want to hinge her League victory on a new team member, where her original team had already become so close-knit, even if Lunala _is_ a Legendary Pokémon."

Hau grinned. "Yup! And after she became Champion, she started training Nebby immediately. After all, she made Lillie a promise!"

"Interesting choice," Blue said. "I guess I understand, though. Having a new Pokémon whose strengths and weaknesses you aren't used to isn't a risk you want to take on something as high-stakes as the Pokémon League. Even a Legendary would still need training."

"Nailed it," said Hau. "Moon and Nebby were _kinda_ close at the time, but not friendly enough to pull off Moon's strategies."

That made it click for Blue. "Oh, we really got off-topic there, huh? We were talking about the time Moon 'cheated.'"

The rest of the table chuckled at their absentmindedness. "Can you blame us, though?" Hau said. "With Moon, there's so much to talk about!"

Blue smirked a bit. "Hah. Sounds like you've got a crush on this girl." Hau was such a bubbly kid, it seemed like nothing could faze him. Maybe this would do the trick.

It didn't. "Yeah, I kinda used to," Hau said, grinning as obliviously as ever. "I mean, could you blame me? This super-cool, mysterious, foreign girl comes and starts doing all this awesome stuff? I was smitten, I tell you!"

Blue's smirk wilted. This kid could roll with anything. "Foreign?"

"You might not be surprised to hear this," Kukui said, already starting to chuckle, "but Moon is actually from Kanto."

"No kidding?" Blue crossed his arms. Despite himself, he couldn't help but feel a little smug. _Naturally she would be,_ was his presiding thought.

"Now don't go feeling _too_ arrogant," Olivia said. "After all, she wasn't a Trainer until she came to Alola. She's ours, not yours!"

Blue laughed, putting his hands up play-defensively. "All right, all right, haha. I'll try not to get a big head over this." To Hau, "So it didn't work out with her, I guess?"

"Hm. Yeah, if you want to look at it that way," said Hau. "Honestly, I'm just not the one for her."

The other Alolans nodded. Blue furrowed his brow curiously, but, again, he realized they had strayed away from the subject. "Right… So, the cheating allegations?"

"Right!" Hau replied. "So, we've all talked at length about how great Moon is at battling, but we haven't even told you the coolest thing, huh?"

"Check this out," said Kukui. He leaned over the table, folding his hands, grinning expectantly at Blue and Red. "Moon _is_ a talented battler in a lot of normal ways, but her crowning achievement, what _really_ sets her above the rest of Alola, is her ability to weaponize _friendship."_

Blue rolled his eyes. "Oh, boy. If this is just about the bond between Trainer and Pokémon, then that's been done. Pretty much any self-respecting Trainer is in tune with their Pokémon's feelings and such."

"That's what you don't understand," Olivia said patiently. "Moon proved that it doesn't have to be that simple. Sure, there are times where you feel perfectly in sync with your Pokémon, like you don't need to say a word for them to perform the attack you want; for a good Trainer, every win feels like a cooperative effort. But Moon was able to exploit that friendship, so to speak, and take it to levels we had never seen."

"Her Pokémon are twice the threat of any well-trained Pokémon of the same species," Kahili stated. "Through sheer determination, through their trust in Moon, they will shrug off status conditions, tank hits they should have been floored by, and strike critical blows when it seemed they should have missed entirely. Moon uses love, the mutual love between her and her Pokémon, to do the impossible." She tapped her foot, seemingly frustrated. "…It has to be seen to be believed."

Blue didn't know what to say to that. Putting words to his skepticism had grown stale, so all he could do was exchange a curious glance with Red and continue to listen.

"It was during the fight with _my_ gramps that we first saw her use that," Hau said proudly. "My grandpa is Melemele Island's Kahuna, you know! When her Munchlax took a critical Karate Chop to the face and just kept on going, he couldn't believe what he saw!"

"So your grandfather thought she was cheating?" Blue asked.

"Well, technically, it was a bystander who complained," said Hau, scratching his head as if to drum up the memories.

"Kahuna Hala _was_ a bit doubtful," Kukui said. "He and I both had faith that Moon wasn't cheating, but we still looked into it anyway after she won the Grand Trial. We checked the arena, we looked at her Pokémon's hold item, and we even inspected her Poké Balls to see if they'd been tampered with, but it all checked out. Moon explained what had happened with such childlike enthusiasm… and we had no choice but to believe what she said!" He gave a cheerful thumbs-up. "And she was able to replicate the same results again and again, so now there's probably not a person in Alola that doesn't believe her!"

Blue let out a very long breath. "And… all of you can back this up?"

Acerola, Kahili, Kukui, Hau, and Olivia were all in agreement.

"That's…" Blue shook his head. _If they aren't exaggerating at all, then that's, that's a really fearsome tactic. Having your Pokémon break through status ailments without needing a move or item?_ "That's meta-changing. That's bigger than discovering a new type."

Hau was bouncing up and down in his seat. "See! I _told_ you!"

"To be honest?" Acerola said. "It's still kinda in the air whether she can take on the champs of other regions, too. But I believe in her! She'll defend her title, even against the living legend!"

Red tipped his hat toward her; 'We'll see' was the implication.

"But you'll still be stubborn about it to the end, will you?" Olivia teased. "You said 'whether she wins or not, I won't be convinced.' Or something along those lines, no?"

Blue scowled, indeed letting his stubbornness get the better of him. "Alright, then. You want to play that game? Let's play that game. Here's my take on all of this." He pointed his thumb at Red. "This guy right here was the number-one Pokémon Trainer in the world more than once. Now, I'm not disputing that Moon is good; in fact, if she meets Red in bracket, I'd wager that match will be insanely close. With tactics like hers, conventional battling probably won't cut it. Maybe, _maybe,_ she could even win. But that was never my point."

Eyes blazing, Blue leaned in closer. "I'll tell you what my point is."


	5. Chapter 5

**-5-**

"Red was a big deal. Like, a really big deal. Only eleven years old and already the Champion, both of the defunct Indigo League and then the resulting Silver League. As everyone expected, Red's Silver League challenge was practically a joke; he swept through the new Elite Four without breaking a sweat and cemented himself as the living legend. As I said earlier, he then abdicated his Champion title and vanished.

"Over almost three years, Kanto and Johto slipped back into obscurity. With Red gone, and no other Trainers capable enough to earn all the Gym Badges (much less beat the Elite Four), things quieted down. All the while, Red was training on top of Mount Silver. He doesn't talk about it much—go figure—so I can only guess he was training in the hope that someone could come along and beat him.

"Well, sure enough, someone did. A young Trainer from New Bark Town and recently-minted Silver League Champion climbed the mountain just to find Red and test his mettle. And sure enough, on that ice-cold summit—just like the one we're on right now—Red lost in a Pokémon battle for the first time ever. Having finally met his match, Red climbed back down to the level of us 'mortals' and returned to what he loved: battling.

"Red's training had been intense. His team was stronger and more tightly-knit than ever, but three years is a long time to be away. That Johto Champion hadn't had an easy road to the top, and as Red found out when he rejoined the land of the living, even while he had been training, so had everyone else. Steel- and Dark-types were more prevalent, and many Trainers from abroad had traveled to test themselves against the living legend, back after all these years. In subsequent tournaments, Red actually found himself dropping matches more frequently. Still unquestionably one of the best Trainers around, but now, he wasn't necessarily _the_ best. The metagame had advanced without him.

"Red had a long road back to the top, and finally, four years ago, Pokémon battling finally got some life injected into it when the Unova Region announced it would hold a Pokémon World Tournament, where regions across the world could test their mettle for the coveted spot of _number one Trainer in the world._

"This, people said, was Red's big comeback.

"He battled amazingly. This was Red at his peak. He crushed Gym Leaders across five regions under his boots as he stomped his way through the bracket. The living legend was _back,_ baby! He and I met in semifinals, and even though I had been able to beat him a couple times in the preceding years, our battle that day wasn't even a contest. As he was thoroughly dismantling my team, I swear I had flashbacks to when we were both eleven and he did the same thing to me then. He had it in the bag.

"But, as fate would have it, Red met a Unovan kid in Grand Finals, and he lost an extremely, _extremely_ close match to ultimately place second at the tournament. The way _I_ remember it, that Unovan pulled a bunch of gimmicky weather nonsense to win… but Red says I'm just salty. Chastises me for not giving the kid enough credit. Whatever.

"Since the PWT, though, there hasn't been a tournament of that scale, not even close. The metagame for Pokémon battling has gotten… well, cynically put, it's _stale._ Nothing really happens anymore. The Alola region creating a new League has been the biggest thing since, and that took _four years._

"Even so, Red was _back,_ and he was a better Pokémon battler than ever. Silently determined to reclaim the title of number one. And, since he and I were on good terms again, we were friends, and more importantly, training partners. (Alright, alright, I'm kidding about 'more importantly.') We push each other to be better. I'd consider myself to be at Red's level now, though he's probably a little bit better of a Trainer. For now, heheh.

"And that's the difference. Do you remember that Unovan kid's name? What about the Johto one? Your blank looks are all telling me you don't. And that's my point. You all knew who Red and I were immediately, but you probably didn't even know that Johto trainer existed, huh? They were really talented. Really, really good trainers, the both of them. They could beat Red when no one else could. But after their days in the limelight, they didn't keep up. Either they lost their edge, or maybe they lost their passion for battling, or maybe it was some other reason we can't possibly know. The fact remains that they aren't relevant anymore."

Taking a breath and looking down, Blue finally paused. He crossed his arms, frowning. "It makes me sad. I wish I remembered their names, too, but I can't. The way I see it, Pokémon battling is a dying art. There isn't enough publicity, not enough tournaments, not enough big regions, so there's nothing to keep kids in the scene. Traveling all the way from Kanto to Unova is expensive; a kid can't afford to travel like that all over the place, not when they've got school and their parents' money to worry about, so it's hard for even the most talented young Trainers to stay relevant. It's kind of tragic."

The whole table was quiet. Most of them had their eyes downturned, frowning sadly, but as Blue's story concluded, Kahili started to glare defiantly at him.

"How can you complain about a 'stale metagame' and Pokémon battling being 'a dying art' while also putting down people who found something to get excited about?"

Blue narrowed his eyes. "Huh?"

"You have been dismissive of all of the 'rising star' Trainers you've seen," Kahili said sternly. "All of them since Kanto, you said. But you don't seem to understand that those rising stars bring hype to Pokémon battling. Media attention and whatnot help regions grow. Without that early hype about Red back then, the Kanto region would've been as obscure as ever. And even though Red disappeared for _years,_ just like those other rising stars did, Kanto still benefited from all the attention, didn't it? The Silver League came about because of it. …And here's another thing: Red might have come back eventually, but for a while, he was just like the others. Off the map."

Blue winced. Kahili's points were solid. "…I'm sorry. I didn't mean to be a wet blanket or anything, but that's the way I came across, huh?"

Kahili crossed her arms. Red, on the other hand, seemed a bit embarrassed of Blue speaking on his behalf for so long.

"I just…" Blue sighed, frustrated. "I've seen it too many times to not get skeptical. A kid takes one local championship and suddenly they're the best Pokémon Trainer there's ever been? I can't help being a little jaded after hearing it so many times."

Hau leaned over the table, looking skeptically around at everyone. While they all agreed with Kahili, they also seemed to sympathize with Blue. To agree with him, too, that is.

They just didn't get it.

"Then let me explain why Moon is different," Hau asserted, and all eyes turned on him. "Moon and Red are really alike, for sure! But Moon has something that even Red doesn't, or didn't, at least. And that is… a reason to stay." Hau grinned widely, meeting Blue's eye. "We've been missing the most important point all along. The reason all of your arguments don't apply to Moon. And that's Lillie."


	6. Chapter 6

**-6-**

"I've caught that name a few times," Blue noted, frowning. "'Lillie.' I assume she's another one of Moon's friends?"

"K…" Hau frowned, tapping his chin. "…Kinda. But, yes."

"Best friends!" Acerola added. "But, kinda."

"Wh…" Blue shook his head, uncomprehending.

The Alolans were all quiet. All pondering the topic.

After a long moment of silence, "…I don't even know where to start," Kukui said, and the Alolans laughed.

"True, true," Olivia said. "Hau, you met both of them around the same time, and that was before most of us. Only Professor Kukui knew Lillie before then."

"And Hau traveled with them the longest," Acerola added.

All eyes turned on Hau, but he was still holding his chin and thinking. All the others could do, really, was wait. After all, Hau was the one who had promised he could convince the skeptics.

"…How about… Moon's clothes." Hau looked up, finally. "That's as good a place to start as any: Moon's clothes."

Blue crossed his arms, all ears.

"So, she changed her outfit a lot as she traveled across Alola. In pretty much every city that had a clothing store, she would go there, buy a new shirt or skirt or shorts, and she would wear that until she found a new clothing store to strike her fancy. She always had a light shirt and darker shorts, or a darker skirt. For a long time, she had a nice white blouse and a blue skirt. I remember the blouse especially made her seem to match Lillie. Always kept the hat, though; she loves that thing."

"Okay," Blue said in a measured tone. Surely there was a point here.

"So Moon would change clothes a lot, and every time, Lillie would give her this, this really enthusiastic compliment," Hau said. "Like, I would be all, 'You look great, Moon!' While Lillie would be a lot more energetic, like, 'Wow, Moon, you look incredible! What kind of shirt is that? The fabric really goes with your blah and the blah blah!' So on, so on… At first I thought it was just girl talk, but then, we went to the Aether Foundation that one time."

"The Aether Foundation?" Blue asked. "That sounds familiar."

"They're like a Pokémon conservation reserve," Kukui said. "For a while, they were working in tandem with Team Skull, with a lot of nefarious business going down… but, that's not really important. They're legit now."

"But this was when they _weren't_ legit," Hau said. "This was the time Miss Lusamine kidnapped her. Lillie, I mean."

Blue was alarmed. "Kidnapped?! Was she alright?"

"Yeah, yeah," Hau laughed, "it all worked out in the end. But we were pretty scared, y'know? Even with Moon with us. So anyway… me, Moon, and Gladion go and rescue her, though Moon and Gladion did pretty much all the work. Things calm down around the Foundation, so Lillie sleeps in her bedroom while the rest of us got our own rooms." Hau placed his hands palms-down on the table. "So we go visit her bedroom in the morning, and wouldn't you know it, she looks totally different! New clothes, new hairdo, the whole nine! In Lillie's words, she'd changed into her Z-Form, which I thought was just the coolest thing ever. And that was when Moon could finally return all of Lillie's favors. She just SHOWERED Lillie in complements over her new outfit, just like Lillie had done for her all those other times! Sure, Moon isn't very talkative, but we'd all heard her speak before; still, that was definitely the most we'd ever heard her speak all at once." Hau snickered. "I remember Gladion had this really speechless look on his face! That was SO funny!"

The other locals laughed appreciatively. Blue and Red, out of the loop, exchanged an exasperated look before continuing to listen.

"…So yeah." Hau was settling down, resting his cheek on his hand. "I think that was when Gladion got it. I didn't get it until he explained it to me. Heheh, he always said I was kinda thick. Maybe I am?"

"Who is Gladion?" Blue asked.

Acerola blinked. "Oh, right! Gladion is Lillie's brother. When Lillie was kidnapped, he pretty much led the charge to rescue her."

"Probably important to mention that Lillie's kidnapper was her mother, Lusamine," Kukui added. "Lillie wasn't in life-threatening danger at the time."

"That's a bit of a relief, I guess," Blue said.

"Gladion is a real character," Olivia said. "A very serious boy…"

"I gotta say, I wasn't sure what to think of him when I first met him," Hau said, still cheerful. "I mean, yeah, what Olivia said: he's really serious. I figured he was the kind of guy to be really wrapped up in himself, and stuff. He came across as a really edgy guy."

The rest of the Alolans at the table nodded. That description apparently hit the mark.

"It wasn't like I didn't respect him before or anything, but, like, I REALLY started to realize how cool he is during that rescue mission," Hau continued. "Moon and I were kinda panicking about Lillie. And, Moon _never_ panics! Her losing her cool made me even more anxious. But Gladion, he kept his head straight the whole time. While the rest of us were freaking out about what to do to save Lillie, Gladion had a plan, he knew the Aether Foundation's layout, and he needed our help to get it done. So he took charge and helped us get Lillie back." Hau beamed. "Man, Gladion's a really cool guy!"

"He could be at the tournament tomorrow," Olivia said. "Wouldn't that be nice?"

"Yeah!" But Hau wouldn't let himself be distracted again, so he immediately turned back to Blue and Red. "Gladion's the type of guy to keep his head on straight. So, he was the first one to realize that, when it comes to Moon and battling, it's all for Lillie. That struck him when Moon finally paid Lillie back for all the same compliments Lillie had given Moon up 'til then."

All of the Alolans nodded at each other, in accord.

"Moon is an amazing battler," Acerola explained. "I mean, even Elite Four members like me and Kahili don't stand a chance."

Blue was taken aback. _Elite Four member? Wow, she's so young._

"And she loves doing it, too," Kukui continued. "It's her passion! Gets me fired up just thinkin' about her fighting spirit!"

"But the biggest reason for it is Lillie," Hau said. "Moon stays strong to protect her and to impress her, and it makes her so happy that she can do it."

Olivia smiled; she folded her hands and rested her chin atop them, her eyes glazed wistfully. "Yes, the stars aligned for Moon—pardon the pun. She loves battling; she loves Pokémon; she loves Lillie. Her aptitude for battling harmonizes with everything important to her."

"During that rescue mission, battling all those Aether Foundation employees, Moon's Pokémon were pushed to the limit," Hau said. "And she was just as exhausted as them, but she never wanted to stop, and her Pokémon supported her the whole way. Lillie was in danger, and all of them loved her and wanted her to be safe. So did I, and so did Gladion, but it wasn't the same for Moon; she wasn't friends with Lillie in the same way she was friends with us, and we only realized it at that point."

Blue rubbed his chin thoughtfully.

"It was after Moon became Champion, though, that it really all came together," Hau began.

"What do you mean?"

"Hmm…" Hau started rubbing his chin as well, probably just imitating Blue to try to look cool. "How to put it…?"

It was only when Hau took that brief pause that Blue finally took notice of the small, unfamiliar crowd hovering just next to their booth, behind Kahili, Acerola and Kukui. One of them took advantage of the momentary silence to lean in and ask, "Mind if we pull up a table?"

"Alola, Kiawe!" Olivia greeted. "Go for it! When did all of you guys get here?"

Blue frowned as he looked between of the new faces, nearly half a dozen of them. All were moving to help Kiawe adjoin another table to the end of the booth; Kukui, Acerola, and Kahili adjusted to make room.

"All of the Trial Captains and Kahunas," Hau clarified, winking at Blue. "What a gathering of talent! Guess you guys overheard us talking about Moon, huh?"

"You betcha!" The shirtless Trial Captain Kiawe put his hands on his hips, grinning widely. "Moon's a genius, she is! She was able to figure out all of the puzzles in my trial like they were nothing!"

Acerola leaned over the table toward Blue, whispering in a teasing, unsubtle voice, "They actually _were_ nothing. Can't credit Moon too much for that one." The table shared a short chuckle at Kiawe's expense.

"Haha, yeah, that's…" Kiawe scratched his head. "That's a fun joke…"

A larger man roughly clapped him on the back, a grin pulling up his mustache. "She's just teasing, Kiawe, don't take it personal. We all know the battling is the _true_ Trial Challenge. And Moon excelled at that too, as I'm sure our new guests know?"

"This is my gramps," Hau said, proudly thumping his fist on his chest. "Kahuna Hala, also part of the Elite Four!"

"How long have you been listening in?" Blue asked of the newcomers.

"We were just in the next booth over, so we've been listening the whole time, actually," Hala admitted. "Actually, I planned to ask you and Red a little about yourselves, if you don't mind the interruption?"

"Uh… Yeah, sure." Blue nodded. "There's still a lot I need to learn about Moon and about Lillie, so let's consider it a trade, eh?"

"More like a Heart Swap!" Kukui crowed. "An exchange of stories between amazing Trainers from different sides of the world?! I'm liking this a lot, cousin!"

Blue smiled. "Yeah. You and me both, Professor."


	7. Chapter 7

**-7-**

Today, Moon became the first-ever Champion of the Alola region.

Being the host of tonight's post-Championship festivities, Iki Town was the liveliest it had been in a while. Chattering about the new Champion's final battle versus the Professor, about the future of Alola, about how great the food was—all of it rang clearly through the night air. The Champion herself, however, had found a secluded spot to comfortably seat herself against a building.

Moon stared wide-eyed at the Ultra Ball cupped in her hands, angling it this way and that, marveling at the way moonlight glinted from the little thing. It felt like power in her hands. She could almost feel the tingling of Tapu Koko's monstrous electricity contained within—ridiculous as she knew that thought was.

"Whew… What a day."

Moon glanced up, already smiling widely at her friend. Lillie was wearing her old clothes again; her Z-Form may be a great look on her, Moon thought, but the usual dress and hat brought forth giddy nostalgia. In short, Lillie looked amazing, as always.

Lillie was holding her hat in her hands, having taken it off so she could comfortably lean against the house behind them. Now, she seemed to be absently playing with it as she started to talk.

"But really, doesn't that seem like the best way today could have ended?" Lillie asked. She looked back at Moon, and when she did, an unconscious little smile of her own grew. "You became the Champion, yeah! And congratulations for that, again. But, I feel like—with even one of the island's guardian deities finally accepting you, letting you catch it—this really feels like an ending."

Moon's smile grew. She remembered that Lillie didn't use to smile like this, not much. Always clutching at her bag, looking nervous. Afraid of being found by her mother, maybe. Afraid of Nebby being caught. Now, finally, Lillie seemed relaxed. Just lying back against the wall of a presently-empty building, a smile adorning her face and moonlight glinting in her eyes as she played with her hat and talked to her best friend.

Lillie's voice lowered, and her smile gained a melancholy tint. "I don't like endings."

Moon tilted her head curiously.

Lillie turned her eyes upward into the night sky. "…I wish my mother could have come tonight. She's getting a little better. I think she's even starting to understand what she did wrong. Well, I hope so, at least… I scold her enough, so you'd think she would know by now."

Moon laughed appreciatively. Lillie couldn't help but giggle as well; she found Moon's laughter to be notoriously infectious.

Lillie turned her eyes down from the sky, back to watching the festival. "Look how happy everyone is." She finally looked back at Moon. "You know, _you_ did this. Look how bright it is around here, even at night… That's all because of you."

Truly, this celebration had been planned regardless of who had become Alola's first Champion. For the conclusion of an inaugural League Championship, a big celebration like this was to be expected. But Moon knew exactly what Lillie meant. This wasn't just a new Champion; this was a kid growing from a nobody to potentially the best Pokémon Trainer in the world. This wasn't just a victory; this was a momentous occasion for all Leagues, not just Alola's new one.

And the thing was—Moon brushed her hair over her ear, unable to break eye contact with Lillie—the thing was, she wasn't even trying. She hadn't wanted to be the best. She had only wanted to be good enough to protect Lillie. If "the best" was how good she had to be, then so be it.

Much like the heat radiating from the ball in her hands, she could practically feel the love radiating from the six Poké Balls in her bag, the friends that had gotten her this far.

Lillie giggled. "Oh, don't give me that smirk! Show a _little_ bit of humility, geez."

Moon and Lillie both laughed.

"Hee hee…" Lillie settled down, brushing a tear away with her fingertip. "Moon, I'm glad you're the one who… who came from Kanto. You've made me so much stronger. I'm—because of you, I'm a better person. Thank you." Her eyes averted, and she lifted her hat to partially obscure her mouth. "But I know what you'll say… 'You've made me stronger too'… 'I could tell you the same things'… We've had this conversation before, more or less. Or maybe I just know you really well."

Moon shrugged. Sure enough, Lillie had beaten her to the punch.

Lillie still didn't meet Moon's eye. Her hands were fidgeting with her hat. "…In all my scolding of my mother… and our nicer conversations too, I think I've figured out what I have to do next. What it is that I _can_ do." She glanced up at Moon, then away. "Moon… I… I'm going to—"

Lillie suddenly stopped herself. Her lips were sealed, obscured by her hat, leading Moon to think the unsaid words had simply been muffled. Curiously, Moon scooted closer to Lillie, about to ask her to repeat herself…

"Tomorrow," Lillie whispered, mostly to herself. "I'll tell you all about it tomorrow, okay?" Her smile was reluctant, bittersweetly tinged. "Moon…"

She closed the gap, pressing her forehead against Moon's. Moon was smiling obliviously, happy to let Lillie put off that truth for now. Lillie laughed a bit; Moon would do anything she said, surely. Just like always. Just like Lillie had always needed. "You know, you're… my best friend…? No, no, not that… That doesn't feel…" she slid closer, "…strong enough…?"

Moon understood. She took one side of Lillie's hat, letting Lillie still clutch at the other end. Lifting it in tandem, they hid behind it, just like what Lillie had done herself moments ago—masking both of their faces. Offering them a moment in private.

Closing her eyes—Lillie closing hers as well, breathless with anticipation—Moon tilted her head closer.

* * *

The two conjoined tables had become three, packed with Alola's most notable Trainers. Blue and Red had been happy to meet all of them, to hear their stories, about Moon and more. As the evening progressed (and more rounds of malasada were ordered), conversation progressed beyond Moon, beyond all of her adventures, beyond even tomorrow's tournament; the chatter had gone on in a direction uninteresting to Blue. So, at their corner of the original booth, Blue and Red continued to listen with undivided focus as Hau, alone, completed the story.

"The morning after the festival." Hau flattened his hands over the table. "Lillie, she… Well, we met her at the marina, down in Hau'oli City. Moon and I did, I mean. Lillie's mother… she was already on the boat."

 _Ah._ Blue knew where this was going. As the truth set in, he felt a sting in his heart—and instantly felt stupid for it. _Wh… I don't even know her. Why would I…_

"She said she had to leave Alola. To get help for her mom, Lillie needed to go away." Hau frowned. His voice was steady, but his hands were not; it didn't escape Blue that Hau's fingers twitched anxiously.

It seemed, in the end, something could faze Hau after all.

"B-But I can't be upset," said Hau, smiling again. He didn't seem to mind the tears brewing at the corners of his eyes. "Because, she HAD to leave! To get stronger, to meet new Trainers and Pokémon. Haha… she's a real Trainer now, you know! She went to Kanto, where Moon is from."

"Kanto." Blue smiled. "Honestly, Hau… there's no better place for her to be."

"You're right," Hau said defiantly, as a tear raced down his cheek. "You're absolutely right! And when, when her mother i-is better, she'll come back! Who knows? Maybe she'll be good enough to beat Moon then, haha!"

Blue and Red both chuckled softly.

Clumsily, Hau wiped one of his eyes, still grinning. "And when she's back… I'm gonna test her skill for myself! And then we'll all go out for malasada, the three of us. And Gladion, too." He wiped the other eye. "G-Geez, but I got distracted again…" He shook his head to clear it. "On the marina…"

* * *

"…I don't like endings."

Hau and Moon both blinked, blindsided by Lillie's sudden assertion. She was staring off into the ocean, peacefully smiling, confidence written in her very poise.

Lillie, in her Z-Form, turned to face her best friends, pumping her fists and grinning like she never had before. "So this _isn't_ an ending, understand?"

Hau was sniffling, shaking. He couldn't comprehend why Moon could keep such a straight face, but he wouldn't let that confusion get in the way of what he had to say. "You—didn't tell us you were going to _leave!_ I'm going to send you a letter! No, ten letters! Twenty! They'll all be super long, too—you better wait!"

"I will!" Lillie declared. "Because, even though I'll be gone for a while, I'm _going_ to come back! When I'm stronger, and my mother is better, and I've made the same kind of friends that you have, Hau and Moon. Because, you guys have your Pokémon. I want to know that kind of friendship. You two, you look so—so— _whole._ And I need to understand what that's like. When I'm stronger, I'll understand, I just know it. And that's when I can come back here, where I belong."

Lillie stepped closer, enveloping both Hau and Moon in a big hug.

"Remember," Lillie whispered into Moon's ear; Hau could clearly hear. "This isn't an ending. You're the Champion, you've been chosen by Tapu Koko, you're taking care of Nebby—but that's not the end of your story, Moon." She backed off slightly, her hands still clasping Hau's and Moon's shoulders, as she looked into Moon's eyes. "So… until I get back… hold onto that championship, okay? Your story, _our_ story, isn't over yet. You're the best Trainer in the world, Moon." She squeezed Moon's shoulder. "So keep at it, even when I'm far away. I'll be doing my best, too." She turned to Hau. "And you… don't go easy on her, either! I want you two to be fighting for the top!"

Tearfully, Hau nodded, wiping his nose. It was unavoidable—in his nature, even when crying, even when struck with pain, he couldn't help but smile in the face of bittersweet loss. "Okay!"

"And… promise me, Moon…" Lillie tilted her head. Finally—though her determination never wavered—a hint of tears could be seen glistening in her eyes. "You'll take good care of Nebby, won't you? You'll let it know what it's like to have a Trainer?"

Lillie was never Nebby's Trainer, strictly, but the bond they had formed was undeniable. That Moon would also share the same bond with Nebby… Well, it was only fitting. Nebby's heart and Lillie's were tied.

In this moment, Moon and Lillie were identical. Both wore smiles of utmost confidence, betrayed only by the tears starting to race down their cheeks.

"I know you will," Lillie whispered, and she hugged her best friends once again. "I'll be far away, I know, but I'll be okay. In my heart, I'll have you two, and Gladion, and Nebby, and Professor Kukui, and everyone…" She squeezed her eyes shut. "Th-Thank you all, so much! I promise, I'll be back before you know it!"

Lillie, and Hau, and Moon, they all laughed broken laughs, together for the last time—for a while. For the near future.

What could they say about anything beyond that, though?

In Kukui's words: "When you're saying good-bye to someone you love, you gotta show them one last smile, yeah!"

As the ship sailed away—Lillie waving to the region she was leaving behind, and Moon and Hau waving back even when the vessel was barely a dot on the horizon—the three of them all held true to those words. Even as tears streamed down, and they shook with gasps and sobs, still they smiled, because they knew the future could only be brighter.


	8. Chapter 8 (Final)

**-8-**

This was it.

This was _it._

Blue tossed his first Poké Ball from hand to hand as he strode to the center of the stadium. Yes, this was her, that much was absolutely certain. The constant smile, the determination in her gaze, the confidence with which she grasped her Poké Ball—this could only be Moon smiling back at him from across the battlefield.

He was lucky, he knew. He got to face Moon in tournament before anyone else would. He had the privilege of being the first to face her.

"I've heard a lot about you," Blue said. "Stories and stories, Moon. And I think, now, I understand all of it. Who you are, what you can do. _Why_ you battle. And I've come to realize that you have something that even Red didn't back then." He smiled wistfully. "What sets you apart… is that you aren't alone. I was alone, Red was alone; all of those other rising stars, they were alone. But you… You have _her._ Someone to tell you that your story wasn't over yet. Heh… That was the key. When Red left, he did it because he was lonely at the top. Now, we're training partners. Always pushing each other to be better. Neither of us is alone anymore, and we're constantly striving to make a better future for Pokémon battling. That's what keeps us going, keeps us from fading into obscurity. You, on the other hand… You've got Lillie. That drive, the drive to protect her, is what will keep you growing as a Trainer, where everyone else falls short. From all of those stories I've heard… Honestly, if you're as good as they say, then I can't win, not a chance." He gripped the ball tightly, his grin reinforced; "But you can bet I'm definitely gonna try. I'm going to give this my all! Even if my motivations aren't the same as yours, I'll give you a reason—I'll give the _world_ a reason to remember that the best Pokémon Trainers around come from the Kanto region!"

He and Moon faced opposite each other, their lead Pokémon in hand, ready to begin.

"So show me, will you?" Blue challenged. "All eyes are on you now, Moon! Show us what it is that makes you the best! What makes you better than Red! Show me that drive that won you the Pokémon League Championship!"

Moon's smile was wider than ever. She lobbed a Poké Ball high into the air, summoning her first Pokémon of the match. From the ball, the legendary beast Lunala came forth, flapping its spectral wings dauntingly and releasing a chaotic, echoing roar.

Then, Moon cupped her hands around her mouth, and at the top of her lungs, she bellowed across the hype-dense stadium, loud enough for the world to hear: "I WILL! I'm gonna show everyone _exactly_ how strong love is!"

"I wouldn't have it any other way!" Blue called back. A smile on his face, he let loose his first Pokémon.

This battle would be close. Blue was no pushover. But it was as Hau had said right at the beginning—now, it didn't matter to him whether he won or lost. This was a once in a lifetime opportunity, a chance to behold a living legend's raw talent, drive, and emotion. He wanted to witness firsthand the unbridled passion within the Trainer worthy of becoming Alola's first Champion.

* * *

-END-

* * *

 _Author's note:_

 _Thank you all for reading. The support means a lot._


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